How to attach photos to texts and iMessages on iPhone with iOS 12

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• The latest version of iOS changes how you attach photos to text messages.
• Now, you access your camera roll through an iMessage app available via the iPhone keyboard.
• There isn’t a way to change it back yet. 

The latest version of the operating system for iPhones and iPads, iOS 12, will be released on Monday, and it’s bringing a lot of big changes and new features, including custom animated emoji, improved notifications, and lots of performance improvements.

It also changes how you attach a photo to text messages and iMessages — a tweak that could really confuse some people.

I’ve been testing iOS 12 since June, and it still trips me up, and I’m not alone.

Here’s what’s changed: 

Your camera roll used to be accessed through the camera button on your keyboard. Here’s what it looked like in iOS 11:

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But now that brings up the camera, without access to your camera roll. In iOS 12, you can find photos you’ve previously taken through the iMessage app drawer. 

Screenshot

Tap it to open up photos you’ve already snapped.

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But if you want to take a photo in the Messages app, you still tap the camera. The star icon where the camera roll button normally is now brings up selfie features. 

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Unfortunately, there isn’t a way to change this back to the old way or hide the iMessage app strip in iOS 12 yet.